Paper folding machine



Sept. 6, 1932. 1-1. H. RAWSON I 1,875,655

PAPER FOLDING MACHINE I Fil ed Aug. 17, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 I 7 40 21 14 J g (/2 Vi 3 3!" I l l p'gww Q lfl W i 41 M NM 42 I N VEN TOR.

Harry /1. liawson BY. AWZJM ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 6, 1932 UNITED. STATES PATENT orrlcs HAnnY H. RAwsoN, or SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO. THEWASHINGTQN MACHINERY & s rrLY COMPANY, or SPOKANE, WASHINGTON I PAPER romaine. MACHINE Application filed August 17, 1931. Serial No. 557,448.

My invention relates to paper folding machines and the principal objects'ofthe invention are to provide machine embodying reciprocative folding elements operating in conjunction with intermittent holding or grasping elements whereby paper is rapidly folded over and is prevented from displacement at all times during the folding operation. Further objects of the invention are to provide a machine of comparatively simple construction, that is direct and positive in operation, which embodies certain adjusting features, and which is comparatively inexpensive to'manufacturev and operate.

With the above'and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of the novel construction, adaptation, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter described and claimed. Theseobjects are accomplished by devices illustrated in theaccompanying drawings; wherein: a j a Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine with parts broken away or omitted for the reason that both sides of the machine are identically the same in construction;

Fig. 2 is a view in endelevationofthe machine; a r a.

Fig. 3 is a detail view in perspective show.- ing one of the papergrippi'ng fingers;

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section of the machine taken substantially on a broken line .4, lofFig.1; v

Although not shown'in the drawings,it will be understood that the paper 8 is supported in the form of a large roll at the further end of the printing press'and is fed therefrom through a perforating machine1 disposed immediately above the folding machine and along which the paper is which perforating machine isso constructed and timed that the paperisperforated transversely at equally spaced lengths and. at points ;in exact conformity with the lines olded, as at?) in Fig. The paper 8 is firstfed into the. folding machine through 'a rectangular folding member 10. Said member has astub shaft 11 fixed to each end thereof and said stub 1 shaftsare centrally secured through large gear wheels 12. The outer projecting ends of said stub shafts are slidably mounted in guide slots 13 formed in the frame 54 Rack bars 14 are secured to said frame and their teeth are inmesh with said large gear wheels.

The folding machine receives its power from theprinting press mechanismby any suitable connecting means (not shown) and whereby rotary movement is imparted to drive wheel-s 15 mounted on the press frame 6.

Said'drive wheels each have, an: arm 16 pivotally and eecentrically connectedthereto and whose other ends are connected to: the stub shaftsl'l of the folding members 10, as at 17 one of which arms is'most clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawings. Said drive wheels are of such dimensions that one revolution thereof draws the folding member, by means of its connecting stub shaftsand arms, the 9 full length of the guide slots13; "In so doing the gears 12, by reason of theirengagement with the rack bars 14, are causedto' turn onehalf revolution, and said folding member being fixed to said gears is likewise caused'to turn one-half revolution; 1 a

The folding member 10 has afiangeplate 18 fixed to both its upper and lower faces and said plates are provided withspaced apart notches 19. Bars 20 and 21 are secured transversely of the folding machine frame 5 at either end thereof respectively and in cooperative relation with the folding member.

" Said bars 'are'securedjto transverse supports 5 22 extending'from one side of the frame to the 1 other. Finger supporting shafts 23 and 24 have their ends respectively j ournaled in bearings adjacent the ends of said bars and a plurality of fingers 25 are fixed to said shafts in engageable relation with said bars and are operated from spaced apart to register with the notches 19 of the folding member flange plates 18.

The finger supporting shafts 23 and 24 are a cam shaft 26 extending across the machine and having a gear 27 fixed to each end portion thereof and in mesh with gears 28 fixed to the drive wheels 15. Cams 29 are secured to said shaft adjacent the gears 27. Referring to Fig. l, said cams are arranged to engage diametricallyopposite rollers30 and 31that are respectively carried by arms 32 and 33 pivotally connected to brackets 34 secured to the press frame 6. A lever rod 35 is connected to the arms 32 and a corresponding lever rod 36 is connected to the arms 33. The remote ends of said lever rods are respectively connected to' cranlr arms "37 and 38 which arms are respectively fixed to the finger supportingshafts 23 and 24. It will thus heapparent thatsaid finger shafts are caused to turn alternatively and in opposite directions, or in other words the fingers 25 on the shaft '23 are caused to engage the bar 20 while at the same time the fingers 25. on the sh aft 24E are retained in disengagment from the bar 21.

. In the operation of my folding machine,

the paper 8 is first passed through the opening in the rectangular folding'member 10 and around the outer end of the lower flange plate *18and is placed in the grasp of the fingers 25 .on the shaft 23. Said fingers clamp the paper against the bar 20 between the notches 19 of the flange plate 18. Referring to Fig. 5, onehalf revolution of the power drive wheels 15, shown in Fig. l, moves the gears 12 from the full line position to the dotted position. In so moving said gears turn one-half revolution and carry the rectangular folding member around one-half turn. Said folding member will thus carry the paper horizontally the length of the machine causing it to bend at its next perforated line 9 and delivering the paperin a position whereby it is grasped by the fingers 25 on the shaft 24, and where upon the fingers 25 on the shaft 23 release their hold on the paper.

On the'neXt half revolution of the drive wheels 15 the gears 1.2 and thefolding member 10 are caused to turn one-half revolution in the opposite direction in the slidable movement of the stub shafts 11 upon carrying said gears and folding member back to its original full line positionshown in Fig. 5. The paper is thus dehvered baclr under the bar 20 and is then again grasped by the fingers-25 on the shaft 23 whereby it is again folded and along its next perforated line 9. It will thus be seen that this back and forth movement of the rectangular folding member will continue to fold the paper along its perforated lines as long as the machine is in operation.

For the purpose of retaining the rollers 30 and 31in constant engageable relation with the cams 29, springs 39 have their respective ends secured under tension to the lever rods journaled in brackets 40 that are secured to 24 have their ends the outer endsof the frame 5 byrmeans of bolts 41 passing through slots 12 in said brackets. Said shafts may therefore be raised or lowered by manipulation of said bolts and the fingers 25 are thus caused to be brought into snug or loose engagement with the paper 8 as desired. Ref-erring to Fig. 3, a leather insert l3 is provided for the fingers 25 for the purpose of preventing the paper from being pulled from the grasp of said fingers while the folding member 10 is in the act of placing the paper on the opposite sides of the machine, I c

In the foregoing description the folding mechanism has been described tl roughoutas dual in character and it will be understood that in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings the folding elements onthe left have been omitted for the sake of clearness and simplicity. Having thus described my invention, it being understood-that minor changes in its construction a frame secured to the printing press frame,

a rectangular folding member having an opening therethrough, gears fixed to the ends of the folding member, the projecting ends of said folding member slidably disposed in guide slots formed in the folding machine frame, rack bars secured to said frame and meshing with said gears, drive wheels mounted on the press frame, an arm eccentrically connected to each of said drive wheels and to the ends of the folding member whereby said member is caused to'reciprocatively move the length of theguide slots and to make a half turn in alternatively opposite directions at each reciprocative movement thereof, a flange plate secured to the upper and lower faces of the folding member and having spaced apart notches in their outer edge porj, tions,a bar secured transversely of the folding machine frame adjacent the ends of the guide slots, finger supportingshafts mounted adjacent said bars and parallel therewith, adjusting means for said shafts, a plurality of fingers fixed to said shafts in spacedrelation to register with the notches in the folding member flange plates, frictional inverse bar that is adjacent the folding member in its reciprocative movements.

2. A folding machine having in combination a frame, a rectangular folding-member having an opening therethrough, a gear fixed to each end portion of the folding member,

said folding member mounted for reciprocative movement in guide slots, rack bars for the frame meshing with the gears whereby the folding member is adapted toturn a half revolution at each reciprocative movement, a flange plate secured to the upper and lower faces of? the folding member and!' having spaced apart notches therein, a bar secured transversely of the frame adjacent the ends of the guide slots, a finger supporting shaft mounted adjacent and parallel with each of said bars, fingers fixed to said shafts in spaced relation to register with the notches in the folding member plates, the fingers on one of said shafts adapted to engage their adjacent bar upon the approach of the folding member in its reciprocative movement, and the fingers on the other shaft adapted to disengage themselves from their adjacent bar upon receding movement of the folding member.

3. A paper folding machine having in combination a frame, a rectangular folding member having an opening therethrough, rack bar and gear means whereby said folding member is adapted for both rotary and reciprocatory movement, a bar disposed transversely of the frame at either end of the path of movement of the folding member, a shaft having fingers fixed thereon disposed adjacent each of said bars,'and said shafts adapted to revolubly bring their fingers into engagement with their adjacent bars upon the approach of the folding memberin its reciprocatory movement.

4. In a paper folding machine the combination of a rectangular folding member adapted for both rotary and reciprocatory movement, of a finger carrying shaft disposed at either limit of movement of the folding member and a bar for engagement by the fingers adjacent each shaft, and said shafts adapted to move their fingers into engagement with the bars upon the approach of the folding member in its reciprocating movement.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARRY H. RAWSON. 

